A Demon Lord and his Love
by Amledo
Summary: The re-write of my very first fanfiction 'What a Demon Lord does for Love' with revised and expanded content. Proud Demon Lord Sesshomaru is in a race against time to save his ward and adoptive daughter Rin from a terrible illness and Priestess Kagome is the only one to whom he can turn. When Kagome agrees to help him, what bonds will be formed and how will it affect the others?
1. Desperate Times Part 1

(A/N: Okay, wow, so I am working on this ahead of the official 5 year anniversary of my first fic ever. I have done a lot since then and will do a lot more in the future. I have grown as a writer and my re-write will hopefully reflect that. I am leaving the original 'What a Demon Lord Does for Love' up as a testament to the way I once wrote and posting this to show how I have grown. I don't want anyone thinking that I have stolen the fic or anything like that because that just isn't the case, it was always mine. I don't however; own InuYasha and I never will. This story contains Sesshomaru/Kagome and all of that other good stuff that you will remember from the original. Now let's get on with the show folks!)

What a Demon Lord Does for Love

Chapter 1—What Desperate Times Require

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 1—Desperate Times: Part 1

Sesshomaru watched her silently, his sharp eyes carefully monitoring her movements, analyzing the downcast expression on her face, the way she fiddled with her fingers, holding her hands clasped in her lap. The girl was depressed, had been for the last several weeks that he had been at watching them. He knew that she was hurting, that she was beginning to realize that she was being used. _Shard Detector _he could hear her chaotic thoughts, the depression, the pain was compromising her powers, the integrity of her shields was down and he was able to sneak into her mind as easily as slipping into a bath. He had been waiting for such a thing and he wished dearly that he had a little more time.

Kagome, the Miko, the tiny human woman that had carried the Shikon Jewel within her body and had such power inside of her that she could purify a lesser Demon into dust. He had met her once, long ago, when she was young and barely able to walk, she had trusted him then, wanted to be his friend but he had been forced to send her back home. In the back of her mind, he could sense that she still wanted to trust him; she could not believe that he was truly a monster. That much gave him hope. A monster would not be on the mission that he had set himself on, a monster would not beg a Miko for help.

He had need of Kagome's help and he was not ashamed to admit that. The one person that he truly cared about aside from him was Rin, his 12 year old adopted daughter and she was desperately ill. He did not know what it was that ate away at her so, but it was a malignancy that gained ground in her small body nearly every day. It had stolen her life away little by little and Sesshomaru had stubbornly gone from doctor to doctor, Demon and human alike, seeking someone that could help him. One Demon had been able to excise a growth from within Rin's chest where it had clung to her small bones and progress had been slow ever since. Sesshomaru had taken to stalking Kagome's group, waiting for an appropriate moment to steal the Miko away. He needed the Jewel to heal Rin, he was convinced of it. So very many things had failed him, this one would not, could not.

"I am going for a bath," Kagome rose to her feet and brushed her skirt off, lifting an over-large pack with her, eyes fixing critically on the Monk and InuYasha. "Alone," she said firmly and turned on the toe of her shoe. She strode away purposefully and Sesshomaru silently gave chase, eyeing her outfit with disapproval as he did every time he saw her. It was the garb of an age far in the future, as he understood from hours of eaves dropping on their group, but he could not equate it with anything in their day. The pale skin of her thighs was easily visible and if she bent over in just the right way, he could see her undergarments. To be blunt, he had seen more clothing on a common whore than he saw on her, a woman of immense purity and grace.

The large yellow pack landed with a thump beside a group of rocks and Kagome sat for a moment to remove her shoes and socks. She dipped her toes into the warm water and a visible sort of relaxation went through her, a smile just brushing the corners of her lips. Rolling her shoulders she began to shrug out of her clothing and Sesshomaru carefully averted his eyes. As soon as she slipped in the water he was able to look again and noticed with some surprise that she had laid out a proper kimono on a large flat rock beside her bag. It was a traditional set of clothing for a woman of her station and he smiled slightly at it.

Another hour passed and she climbed out, Sesshomaru averted his eyes while she wrapped herself in the red and white robes, focusing instead on the sky above, tinged pink and orange with the setting of the sun. It was late; he had been watching her for hours, knowing that he needed to return to the Western Citadel before long. But at last, there seemed to be no better a moment than this, she was sitting on the rock, brushing her long hair out carefully as she stared off into the spring. Her pack was sitting beside her and it was as if he had been expected and she was ready to make an escape.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she greeted without missing a beat as he stepped up beside her, scooping the large pack over his shoulder as he did so. A small smirk adorned her lips and he carefully schooled the surprise off of his face, perhaps he really had been expected. He looked down at her out of the corner of his eyes, watching her as she continued to brush her hair.

"Priestess Kagome," he replied, he had no reason to be discourteous toward her, and she had greeted him with propriety if not the deference he deserved. He was not going to risk her denying him when it meant so much to him and his daughter that she agreed. Though Kagome's heart was one of infinite purity and goodness and so even though he had done much to abuse his brother, he was certain that she would not hold it against him.

"Should I scream? Is it InuYasha that you want? Or do you have some use for a weak human woman?" Kagome said, tucking the brush away and straightening her back, sitting rigidly, seeming indecisive about whether or not to stand. He helped her in that by offering her his hand, prompting her to take it.

"I would prefer to avoid a confrontation with InuYasha if it is possible. And you are not a weak woman Kagome. You are a powerful Priestess, guardian of the Sacred Jewel. You deserve my respect and the respect of many others as well. I have no 'use' for you; I do not seek to use you. I merely beg your help on behalf of young Rin," Sesshomaru said at last and Kagome looked sharply up at him before chancing a glance toward camp.

"Your ward is in danger?" Kagome inquired, applying the mannerisms that she had learned over the last several years. At 19 she had grown considerably as a woman and had come to make her own decisions, regardless of InuYasha's wishes. They were still looking for the Jewel because every time they seemed to get anywhere, InuYasha ran off to Kikyo and the Jewel shards wound up stolen. Naraku still loomed over them and it was almost as if they had accomplished nothing and were merely repeating life day after day.

"The gravest of dangers. Would you require the details immediately or will you accompany me and allow me to fill you in as I go?" Sesshomaru asked and Kagome took another half second to consider things.

"I will accompany you. On the condition that you do not impede my search for the Jewel shards," she said calm blue eyes as serious as they had ever been. Sesshomaru afforded her a curt nod and called his magic to bear. The cloud that rose beneath their feet was not stable enough to support Kagome's mortal body and so Sesshomaru wrapped his arm across her shoulders, supporting her so that she did not fall.

"Thank you my Lady Priestess," he said softly, before the roaring of the wind in her ears silenced him and the whipping of her chocolate locks obscured her vision.

(A/N: No, this is not a complete translation of the first chapter. This is only a small fraction of it and it will be broken into several parts until I have covered everything. Yes, this is in a sense, a different story than I wrote before, but there was a great deal that I felt needed to be changed. So the characters are older and the story will take place over a longer span of time. I am also trying to incorporate more real fact into it as well. Let me know what you thought in a review, and the next chapter will be up in what I hope will be a timely manner.)


	2. Desperate Times Part 2

(A/N: And so here is the next part of the re-write of chapter 1. I told you all that it was going to be much longer and much more filled out than it was before. I still don't own anything about the show, heck; I don't even own it on DVD nor have a manga beyond the second volume. Regardless of that, I am writing this because I both love the show, and wish to make this story better than it was. Anyway, I think that is everything. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord Does for Love

Chapter 1—What Desperate Times Require

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 2—Desperate Times: Part 2

Kagome allowed the sensation of the night air rushing through her hair to soothe her and eventually her head dropped against Sesshomaru's strong chest. For several weeks she had known that he was following them, even InuYasha had been unaware, but as she had not sensed any evil intent from him, she had said nothing. She had not been surprised when Sesshomaru had approached her though his request had left her a little off balance. Of course she knew that in the end he was after the Jewel, but she also knew that for once, it was not a purely selfish motivation.

What had amazed her the most, however, was her readiness to accompany him. She had always wanted to trust him, something in her distant past called her to trust him as a protector rather than an attacker. Several people had told her that a Miko was the product of centuries of selective breeding by Demons and as such was a servant of sorts to Demon kind. Her purification powers were meant to be used in the defense of her Lord, whichever one claimed her as his vassal. She was also aware of the fact that she was a prize to those of Demon kind who were threatened as a species as her blood and powers would allow her to give birth to a full blooded Demon of the species. None of these wants were anything that she sensed from Sesshomaru and he was keeping no secrets from her as yet.

For a brief instant, her thoughts were back with InuYasha and the rest of the group. She thought of Shippo and wished that she had been able to call him to her side, but their family bond had not developed far enough for her to touch his thoughts. No part of her regretted leaving InuYasha behind, he had been the cause of the most recent bout of depression that had claimed her. Much of the time it was due to the fact that she was accomplishing so little back in her own time with the University courses that she had selected. She was never going to be a doctor if the quest for the Jewel did not end soon. Going with Sesshomaru to help Rin seemed to be the perfect chance to apply some of the knowledge that she had acquired in her limited schooling.

It seemed that they were in the air for quite some time before Sesshomaru began to slowly bring them down towards earth. The winds died down enough that Kagome was able to flip her hair behind her head and look toward the ground. A grand citadel spread out before her, the main structure more massive than any castle that Naraku had ever occupied and the many out buildings large enough to hold several families of visitors or servants. The predominant coloring was blue and glossy mahogany hard wood, all of the screening and highlights done in gleaming silver.

A massive set of gates loomed up over them as they landed and Kagome was glad to take her own feet once more. She stared up at the gates, easily six times taller than Sesshomaru and flanked by guard towers that were even taller. Two armed guards came from each tower, halberds grasped in their hands, weapons of Western culture and a clear mark of Sesshomaru's worldly nature. The guards were dressed much like samurai, the armor appeared decidedly ceremonial, highly glossed and with elaborate masks, though the masks were set aside on their shoulders upon realizing that they would greet their Lord.

"Lord Sesshomaru, you have returned. The healers send word that your ward woke for a time today. They request your attentions before you return to her side," the guard said while offering a bow. When his eyes caught sight of Kagome, he grew briefly tense. She offered him a small, gracious smile and gave a slight bow of her own. "My Lady," he said at last and stood once more to attention. Sesshomaru gave the Priestess an approving nod before gesturing that he had understood the message and was to be let in.

Kagome stood silently at Sesshomaru's right shoulder, watching as the great gates swung outward, allowing them entrance to a beautifully crafted courtyard filled with flowers and well-kept pathways. A few fountains attended the path here and there, but Kagome was unable to truly observe anything if she wished to match the brisk pace that Sesshomaru set as he strode toward the main portion of the castle. He was in a great hurry and Kagome understood that. If Shippo were to have taken ill she would cling tightly to every possible bit of information that she could acquire. Her eyes only spared the briefest of glances to the over-stuffed camping pack that still hung over his shoulder.

Grandly ornate wooden doors granted them entrance and swung open with little prompting, admitting the Lord Sesshomaru. He carefully passed the pack into the hands of a servant and instructed them to place it in his quarters and not disturb its contents. Servants moved swiftly to obey his orders and with a quick sweep of his arm he motioned for Kagome to follow. She did so at the same rapid pace that he did and listened as he began to speak on Rin's illness.

"It came on her at first as a shade, a mere flicker of illness. Weeks passed and it matured into something that smelt of death. Several months later this monster began to consume her strength and she started to grow thin. Her strength deserted her six months later. All this time I have had the best of all physicians, healers, and medicine men attend to her and nothing has caused this disease to relent. The only real knowledge we have is that something wicked is growing inside of her. There were masses affixed to her bones, there are still. A Doctor managed to remove one but it has done little to help. The sickness is of her, it comes from within and no outside force can be said to have done this to her," the Demon Lord said as quickly and concisely as he could when he was so desperate to get to the Doctors.

"Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome found it hard to be formal when her throat closed up on her, "I cannot be sure, and I wish that I had some proper method to test my theory, but it sounds as though this may be a form of cancer. I do not know what it is that you think I might do. If she is as weak as you say, then she will not survive the jostling of a trip into my time," she said softly, running through all of the Oncology literature that she had read in the back of her mind.

"I do not expect her to leave this Citadel ever again if we cannot, between us, devise a way to help her. This disease is unnatural, a taint that you are adept enough to fight if we can find a way to focus your powers. I hesitate to even consider the use of the Jewel shards, though my heart tells me that it is the only way," Sesshomaru said carefully, trying not to put too much weight onto her shoulders and yet knowing that he could not sugar coat it.

"Ah, you wish me to attempt to purify some of these masses. You are right when you say that it will take a good deal of control that I may not yet have. The Jewel…I am sworn to protect. I can't condone the use of any shards whether for good or ill. As a whole the Jewel might do some good, but divided as it is, it can only do harm, no matter how pure the intent. If we were to complete it…" she trailed off and allowed the thought to hang in the air unfinished. A chill bristled the fur of Sesshomaru's tail and he shook it away. If it took the completion of the Jewel to save his daughter, then that was what would be done.

The expression worn by the Demon Lord grew grave and stoic all at once as he led the way into a small suite of rooms. The sliding doors were all half-open, revealing tatami flooring and low tables in two of the rooms and a set of sleeping pallets in another. Sesshomaru's destination was a room full of many shelves that contained many hundreds of scrolls and an older Snake Demon seated upon a futon. The old man wore slim glasses perched upon his nose and was staring down at an aged scroll with his brows furrowed. Kagome understood that this man was the one presently charged with Rin's good health.

(A/N: And there it was. I am keeping these in shorter more manageable sections so that I can post them more readily. I am not sure how many parts there will be to any given chapter as there are many things that I mean to add and a couple that I want to take out as well. So I hope you liked it and I don't have an ETA on the next bit, but I can hope that it is soon. Thank you for reading. Oh and if you feel that I am being too vague about Rin's illness then I wish you to know that it is intentional as I do not feel that I possess any proper amount of experience in the area that I could write it.)


	3. Desperate Times Part 3

(A/N: And here we are with the 3rd part of chapter 1. I really and truly didn't realize just how much else I had to say about things. A few people who read the original said that it progressed too quickly, and they were right, I am amazed at how fast I did things. So I am going to make an effort to slow things down for the reader and myself. There were also a few glaring plot holes and some pig-headed assumptions on my part. I have a much better grasp on characterization this time around. Anyway, I still do not own InuYasha and I never will, so don't bother. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 1—What Desperate Times Require

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 3—Desperate Times: Part 3

Kagome was silently shocked when instead of the Snake Demon greeting Sesshomaru with a bow; the Demon Lord took a knee and bowed his head, waiting for the attentions of the older Demon. Unsure of herself, Kagome lightly sank into the same pose a bit behind Sesshomaru, watching the Snake Demon as discretely as she could through the fringe of her bangs. She had never seen anyone ignore Sesshomaru, well aside from InuYasha. Her mind amended the statement; she had never seen anyone ignore Sesshomaru through anything other than sheer arrogance. It seemed that the old man had simply failed to realize that he had company. Yet Sesshomaru was not offended by this lack of recognition, even though he had been nearly charging through the corridors just moments before.

She saw a sort of deference in Sesshomaru's face, the sort that great masters won from their apprentices. There was no way that she knew of to judge a Demon's age, but she did know that Snake Demons were known for their wisdom and wondered if there was a chance that this man had been Sesshomaru's teacher.

When at last the old Demon carefully rolled the scroll up and slipped it back into its protective case, he gave Sesshomaru the smallest of glances. The Demon Lord remained where he was and so Kagome continued to follow his lead even as pale crimson eyes fixed on her. She was used to those of immense power taking a moment to size her up, after all, she carried close to a third of the Shikon Jewel on her person and a Miko was and increasingly rare sight.

"This is the Priestess that your wanderings have sought," the old Demon said as his eyes slid back over to Sesshomaru. The Demon Lord gave a quick nod, looking more and more like a student the longer Kagome observed him.

"She is," he confirmed quietly, lifting his head only to respond.

"Are you certain that you wish to go this route? Once the Miko begins to treat the girl, my tonics will have no more effect and the pain will return. She will be awake and I wish to know if you are prepared to deal with the consequences," the Snake Demon said, his voice showing great age and wisdom in the slow quiet cadence that it possessed.

"I am," Sesshomaru responded, though his fist clenched against his thigh and he closed his eyes tightly against a flash of indecision.

"Miko, I wish to hear your own thoughts on your abilities and knowledge of the healing arts," the Demon said critically and Kagome found herself taking a very quick inventory of her own skills. It left her no room for dressing anything up; she would give him the truth of her analysis.

"I have had limited training with my powers, much of what I am capable of is instinctual. I have learned control over time and feel that I have an acceptable level of discipline. The healing arts are something of which I possess a varied, yet limited knowledge. I do not believe myself to be entirely capable of helping at once. I would wish a period of time for examination before you ceased any current treatments," Kagome said carefully and looked up at those pale red eyes as she did so.

"You are wise to mistrust yourself. I will have to change the dose of the tonics soon. Young Rin was able to wake up for some time today even though I meant for her to stay asleep. I will allow you three days to observe her by yourself as I do not wish to interfere with your abilities. However, afterwards I will wish to be a part of the treatment process, as I have had the experience of watching this illness progress," he said and Kagome could only nod, nervous about just how much she could help. She had felt something like confidence before, but the old Demon had left her on shaky legs.

"Forgive me, but, does she sleep now?" Sesshomaru asked, his nerves perhaps allowing him to behave informally.

"Yes, I gave her a larger dose of her current tonic and now she rests. You may go to her, young Lord. She asked after you," the old Demon said and Kagome was almost certain that Sesshomaru should have bristled with rage at the way he had been addressed. Instead he rose to his feet, bowed carefully and extended his hand to Kagome. She followed his example before allowing him to lead her out of the room.

Sesshomaru was calmer than before, reining in his emotions and controlling his pace as he moved past servants in the hall once more. And seeing that he was making an attempt to be more in control, Kagome wished to try also. Small talk had always been one of the easiest ways she had to cope with stress; it was how she and Sango had bonded in the first place.

"You show great respect for the healer. Was he a teacher of yours?" Kagome asked softly, her voice controlled so that he nerves did not show through.

"Lord Healer Souske is a venerable member of the Snake Tribe. He brought the last four generations of my family into the world and has educated us in many fields. My Great Grandsire would not have survived to continue our line were it not for him. I do not merely demonstrate great respect, I feel it. I thank you for having the propriety to show the same respect," Sesshomaru paused and Kagome gave a soft blush and a nod. He studied her critically for a moment before moving on. "Speaking of propriety, I have never seen you wear garb appropriate for your station before now. Why is that?" he asked and Kagome's cheeks flamed red, not from the question but from the memory of fights connected to it.

"InuYasha. He doesn't want me to dress like dear dead Kikyo. I know how inappropriate my school clothes are for this time, but he refuses to allow me to have any real kimonos made or to bring them on my own. I only had this one with me because it was a gift from my Mother. He has enough respect for her that he would not destroy it," she said, anger coloring her voice and making her fists clench. Sesshomaru granted her a frown, glancing at her from the corner of his eye as they climbed a set of narrow, steep steps that had been concealed behind a section of wall in a deserted hallway.

"We shall commission a small wardrobe for you to use during your stay in this place. The clothing you normally wear might be acceptable in your time, but here it would serve as an offense toward any of several dignitaries that regularly visit. I do find it interesting that you would say that InuYasha has respect for anyone, let alone a human woman—given his usual behavior toward yourself—I would like to know why," Sesshomaru said and Kagome almost laughed. She thought of the way that her Mother had been able to contain InuYasha's surly personality and moody behavior with little more than a bowl and a pair of chop sticks.

"She can deny him his favorite snack foods and ramen. He knows that she packs my bag for these trips and there are several things that he likes. If he shows up and makes a scene or if I come home crying then she leaves his treats out, or hides them so that only Shippo can have them. If he were to have destroyed this then I don't think she would ever give him another snack as long as he lived," Kagome said with a smile. Sesshomaru snorted in disgust, whether at InuYasha's behavior or the thought of food stuffs from the future, she wasn't sure, but it was refreshing to see him relaxing.

The stairs had brought them to a sitting room, a low table with an empty tea service was flanked by several blue cushions with silver tassels and a low futon was pushed up against one wall. The screens that divided the rooms were a pale blue, painted with silver moon flowers and delicate grasses and set in shining mahogany frames. The screen slid away into the wall revealing a larger room, somewhere between sitting room and library, likely Sesshomaru's personal office. There was another set of doors to the left and what looked to be more concealed doors on the right.

Sesshomaru led her toward the properly visible screens and slid them open to reveal a wide hallway with at least six rooms attached. Only when he entered the first such room did Kagome realize that these were the bedrooms. Rin lie on an elevated pallet, furs and silks had been draped over her to keep her warm and plain blue cushions attended her bedside. There was a small table with ink and paper that looked like it could be settled across her lap when she was awake, but aside from a small station where the doctor could mix tonics, there was not much else in the room. Kagome figured that it would likely get in the way. She turned her eyes on Rin's small frame and sighed softly as she realized just how miserable the little girl's condition really was.

(A/N: Well there you go. I hope that you liked it. There will be at least one more part to the re-write of chapter 1 after this. Like I said, there is so much that I wanted to add, so many details that I missed or was unsure of how to communicate that this is going to be much longer. As such, for your sake and mine, I am keeping these in neat, manageable sections. Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought and I will see you next time.)


	4. Desperate Times Part 4

(A/N: And now for the next installment of this lovely re-write! I still don't own InuYasha and I never will. Now I hope that this is getting posted consistently, but I don't know because I am typing this all in advance and have no idea what my access to the internet is going to look like. So there's that. Anyway, this continues the first chapter of the original, I still don't know what all is going to be taken out, I am going over the story slowly, but I do know that a few things just made no sense at all, and if your reread the original then you will know what I mean. Anyway, on with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 1—What Desperate Times Require

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 4—Desperate Times: Part 4

Kagome's hand shook as she reached out to touch Rin's pale cheek, sunken and waxy as it looked; it was also chill and brittle to the touch, her skin dry and papery. Pale lips were chapped and broken and dark circles ringed her eyes, giving her a bruised look that extended down even to her thin eyelids. Long glossy black hair had become lank and stringy, brittle and prone to breaking off if the sheer number of loose strands was anything to go by. Kagome did not like how cold Rin was, with all of the furs piled on top of her she should have been on fire.

When Kagome bent her head to listen to Rin's chest she found that her breathing was shallow but steady, not bad enough that she wasn't getting all of the oxygen that she needed. Regardless of that knowledge the Priestess still stared critically at Rin's lips, checking for any sign of purpling that would indicate a lack of breath. When she was satisfied that such was not the case she proceeded to press her fingers against the pulse in the girl's neck. It was surprisingly strong and normal which made Kagome sigh in relief as she finally sat back on one of the plain blue cushions, finding that it wasn't nearly as comfortable as it looked. She figured that it was likely because they didn't need to be, no one would stay long enough to be uncomfortable except perhaps Sesshomaru.

"How are you feeding her?" Kagome questioned, watching as Sesshomaru carefully removed one of Rin's hands from beneath the blankets. He stroked his thumb along the prominent bones in that tiny hand before glancing up at Kagome and voicing his response.

"They feed her with honeyed milk and water. Sometimes it is an herbal mixture, other times she is awake enough to have a few bites of rice or fish. We are looking for a way to get her all of the nutrients that she needs, but it is difficult when she is mostly unresponsive," Sesshomaru explained carefully, his long fingers brushing their way through Rin's hair and frowning at the snarls, someone was supposed to be taking care of that. Kagome watched him carefully, her heart growing warm at the sight of him being a proper father, though he would probably deny it to anyone that she dared tell.

"Where did you have them take my pack? I have multi-vitamins that we can crush and add to the liquids she receives. It may not matter much, but patients need all of the extra help that they can get," Kagome offered never taking her eyes off of the tenderness in Sesshomaru's face as he looked down at his daughter. She felt like she had seen that look before, like he had protected her in much the same way. But she shook it off, resolving to ask him at another point in time.

She did not receive a verbal answer, instead the Demon Lord gestured vaguely toward the door, his eyes unfocused. It was not really that surprising to her that he would be absorbed in the presence of his child. After all, he had spent the last several weeks stalking her and waiting for his chance to bring her along with him. As she stood to follow his pointed finger she found herself wishing that she had just gone and questioned him the first time she noticed his presence. She liked to think that she would have gone with him as soon as she heard about Rin being so desperately ill.

With her bare feet nearly silent on the wood floor she checked each of the rooms in the hall, carefully opening and then closing each painted screen in turn. None of the rooms near Rin's seemed to have been used recently at all; they contained no furnishings and were bare of all decoration, even having the faint scent of dust. It wasn't until the end of the hall and a door that she had believed to simply be the end of the back of the hallway that she found signs of occupation. A large raised sleeping pallet, covered in all manner of pelts and silks sat against one wall, a low table had a darkened lantern sitting upon it next to a stack of scrolls and a bottle of ink. There was a wardrobe and a long low chest near the foot of the bed and a changing screen across the way. Her bag was placed carefully against the screen, standing in the same position that it had been handed away in.

With a small smile at the attentiveness of the servants—she hadn't wanted to mention the many breakables contained within—she crossed the tatami flooring and crouched beside the bag. It was dark in the room but she knew where nearly everything was in the bag and so found her vitamins with ease. With only a brief moment of thought, she also grabbed up the hairbrush that she had been using and brought it along with her, not bothering to reclose the bag.

She made her way back to Rin's room and placed the vitamins atop the healer's mixing station. Carefully, so as not to disturb Sesshomaru's contemplative state, she retook her seat and waited for him to notice her. As she waited she ran her fingers along the time worn handle of her brush, the bristles were very soft and would not hurt Rin's head. She ran her thumb along them, looking for any of her own stray hairs and finding none.

When Sesshomaru finally looked up, a barely noticeable haze of tears in his shining amber eyes, she silently offered the brush to him. He granted her a smile and took it from her without a word, lightly stroking it through Rin's hair. With her lying down it would be impossible to brush all of it, but he persisted until he had her visible locks back into a slightly ordered position. Brushing seemed to give a little bit of shine back to her hair, but it also demonstrated just how much of that hair had broken off in the strands that clung to the bristles afterward.

"Thank you…for the brush and the…vitamins. I do not know why I did not expect that you would have something from your time that could be of help. Do you have something that will help relieve her pain?" he questioned, seemingly unable to decide how he wanted to feel about her having seen him with Rin. She had never seen him in such a way and she was fairly certain that they would never be able to go back to their old animosity.

"I only have aspirin and a few vicodin in my bag, nothing strong enough to do something for this. Once I talk to the Lord Healer about the contents of his tonics then I might be able to have a better idea of what will be of help. I can return to my time and find something strong enough to allow her to be awake and still pain free, if there is anything," she said, trying not to let her hopes get too high. She wanted to see Rin get better and would be glad to help in any way that she could and she was certain that there were people back home that would be willing to help her as well.

"That will have to do for now. It is late, we returned long past when I wanted to, no doubt you will need your rest," he considered her for a long moment, the brush still clasped in his fingers. "I will have a room prepared for you tomorrow. Tonight you shall have my bed. Do you have bed clothes?" he said in a low tone, motioning for her to get up once again. She did so as quietly as possible with a glance down toward Rin.

"I have night clothes, not that they would be appropriate, I'm sure. Where will you sleep?" she was curious as they left Rin to her quiet sleep.

"I do not require sleep as often as you do. You are depriving me of nothing. I will include some proper sleeping garments in the order for my tailors," he said and motioned for her to go and get changed and get to sleep.

She returned to his darkened room and slid the door most of the way closed. Glad to have left the pack open she carefully removed her kimono and folded it neatly before slipping into a tank top and a pair of flannel pants. She rarely had cause to wear night clothes in the Feudal Era and it felt strange to be in something so plain and surrounded by such an opulent place. On a whim she decided to go back and bid Sesshomaru good night, it seemed like it was only proper manners after all.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked when she caught sight of him going through a few scrolls. He glanced up at her and then back down at his work before looking up once more. "I just wanted to thank you for accommodating me and to wish you a good night," she said, perplexed as he walked toward her, his eyes intent on something that she couldn't see.

"You do not need to thank me; it is I that should thank you for the courtesy that you have extended to my child and myself. I would satisfy a curiosity though," he said and Kagome blinked a couple of times before realizing that she ought to respond.

"Sure, shoot," she said and though he gave her a curious look he continued on.

"You wear no mating mark, not even a mark of intent, it was my understanding that that fool InuYasha had claimed you," he said, unsure of why he cared but intent on an answer no less.

"Why would he mark me when he has Kikyo? You can't have two mates even if they do share a few pieces of a soul," Kagome replied, unfazed by the question though curious as to why it would have mattered to Sesshomaru.

"I had just assumed. That was my mistake and now you are in danger for it," he cursed himself and looked into her eyes briefly. She was unafraid and tried to show him as much by standing a little straighter. "I will find you guards. Those with mates who will not be tempted to claim you," he affirmed softly and suddenly she understood. She blushed brightly and nodded before retreating to the bed that she had been granted. It was warm and comfortable, but sleep took some time to claim her restless thoughts. When she finally did fall asleep, it was to the distant sound of a claw scratching against paper and the faint rumble of thunder.

(A/N: See, this is the point in the original when I started to allow their relationship to get mildly out of hand. I was over eager and that sort of wrecked the entire story for me, so now it is going to go much more naturally. Review and let me know what you thought.)


	5. With Time Part 1

(A/N: Woohoo, I am finally moving on to working with the second chapter of the original fic! It took quite some time, and I don't know how many parts there are going to be to this one, but that's part of the fun of making a new go of an old fic. Anyway, Chapter 2 was where I felt a lot of things started getting a little silly, but I in my young frivolous way, listened to what people wanted and just plowed through any idea that I might have had. And now I'm not. Anyway, I don't own InuYasha and I never will. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 5—With Time: Part 1

Kagome woke the next morning not long after the sun had graced the horizon. She was bleary-eyed and felt as though she had not slept enough at all, figuring that she had maybe gained three or four hours at best. Regardless of that fact, she was awake, shaking sleep's lingering grasp away from her thoughts and leaving the comfort of the bed behind. To her surprise there was a wash basin with warm water standing beside the wardrobe, a clean wash cloth awaiting her. On a low table that had not been there before, sat a new kimono, the same traditional red and white as she would have worn, but with the sigils of the West worked into the pattern.

A smile touched her lips as she thought of the blind rage that would run through InuYasha's thoughts if he were ever to see her in such garments. She gave herself a quick scrub with the cloth provided and retrieved her tooth brush, scrubbing at her teeth mercilessly to eradicate her morning breath. The kimono was more elaborate than she was used to, and part of her wondered if it was because the tailor was used to making clothes that servants would assist with. But she managed it, carefully and slowly tying each new section into place or securing it with the toggles that had been provided.

The entire outfit came together easily, very much more ornate and regal than her former garb, the clothes of a personal Priestess were far more elegant than ones belonging to a servant of the people. She failed three times to secure her obi properly before tying it on backwards and spinning it around, trusting that if it truly bothered him, Sesshomaru would straighten it out for her. The clothes that she wore concerned her far less than the task she had been given, to look over Rin and begin to determine how well-suited her powers could be to the cause.

She found that her hair brush had not been returned to her and so ran her fingers through her hair to straighten it and tied it back with a hair band that she wore on her wrist. A ritual examination of the Shikon Jewel was her last order of the morning and once she was satisfied that it was as intact as it had been the previous day, she stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind her. She wore only the tabi socks that she had been given on her feet and smiled at how silently she could move, silently enough for a human at least. Sesshomaru had already heard her coming and was looking toward the door of Rin's sickroom waiting for her by the time she entered.

"You are up early," Sesshomaru said by way of greeting, returning his gaze to Rin's sleeping face. Kagome could see that Rin's breakfast had been made, honeyed milk with a hint of soothing mint to hide the bitter taste of the vitamins Kagome had provided. One of the things she planned on bringing back with her, when she finally made it back to her time, were some of the flavored children's chewable vitamins that she had always loved. It would make it easier on Rin if the things that were helping her didn't make her feel sick from their taste; after all, vitamins were known to make people sick on their own. And she really didn't suspect that Rin was all that used to taking them, she should have told them to only give half of a tablet to the little girl.

"Yes, well, it doesn't really bother me. I would rather be tending to Rin anyway. Sleeping is unnecessary as long as there is breakfast around," Kagome said with a smile, repeating words that she had once heard her father use after he had ended a long shift at the hospital. Sesshomaru gave a slight nod of approval at that and gave her an outfit a once-over. When he did not say anything against it, she figured that he had given his approval of her ability to dress herself. She didn't know why that relieved her.

"Breakfast will be brought up for you shortly. The Lord Healer approves of these vitamins that you provided. He believes that she will need all of them that she can get and requests that we retrieve more should we find the time to return you to your proper Era," he said as he slowly shifted Rin into a sitting position, which Kagome noted, was hard to do with only one arm. She did not, however, reach out to assist as Sesshomaru seemed capable of it and was not known to be fond of people assuming that he was incapable of things.

"Of course. They were already on my list. More of this type and some that she will be able to chew without much trouble on the days when she is awake. When will he be by again? I had been hoping to speak to him about the pain relieving tonic that he uses," Kagome said, stifling a yawn and stood to pour some of the breakfast substitute that they were feeding Rin into a small sipping bowl. She passed it over to Sesshomaru, he did not offer any thanks and she did not look for it as he turned his attention once more to Rin, carefully pouring the liquid down the child's throat. A moment passed and when he was satisfied that the nutrients would not come back up, he passed the dish back to Kagome and the process repeated itself over and over until the honeyed milk was gone.

"Normally the Lord Healer is the one that does this and I assist him, but he wished for you to understand how this process works. He will return near lunch with another meal for Rin and then he will give you a list of the ingredients that go into the tonic. I believe that he wants them to be gone over by one of the healers in your Era," Sesshomaru said, though he seemed distracted, perhaps more tired than he had let on. Kagome gave him a weary smile and sat once more; folding her hands in her lap and keeping silent, watching Sesshomaru tend to Rin.

"My Lord? Breakfast for the Lady Priestess," a soft female voice accompanied a light knock on the side of the door. Sesshomaru barely spoke loudly enough for Kagome to hear whether it was permission or a denial but the servant was a Demon and thus had more acute hearing than a human. With a bow and a blush a young woman with flashing orange eyes and long brown hair placed a serving tray at Kagome's knees. Kagome gave a quick dip of her head in thanks and waited until the young Demon, a Hawk if she wasn't mistaken, had left the room.

The meal was simple, fresh bread, buttered a little excessively, two roasted fish and some steamed rice. Demons ate much differently than humans and Kagome was almost certain that she had just been presented with a replica of the meals that Rin usually enjoyed. She did not complain as it all smelt delicious and she was quite hungry. If it was not enough then she would fetch a bag of chips from her pack and use them to supplement her meal.

The bread was warm and she nearly couldn't stop herself from devouring it all in a single go as it tasted exactly like the bread that her mother baked on Sundays. She fought back the prickle in her eyes and the sting at the back of her throat as he chewed her mouthful; it had been a long time since she had gone home. To stall her mind long enough to avoid tears, she carefully shredded some of the fish and piled it and the rice inside of a new piece of bread before eating the whole mess like a sandwich. She did not take notice of Sesshomaru watching her, or the sad, distant smile that played over his lips.

"I think that I would like to ask your cook for his bread recipe. It tastes exactly like the bread that my mom makes and she has never told me…" Kagome said, small talk once again easing the pain that had crept up around her throat, threatening to choke her.

"You shall have it. I had wondered…" Sesshomaru trailed off and shook his head; his emotions concerning Rin had caused him some alarm when he had smelt the beginnings of sorrow in Kagome. He did not want her to think that he cared overly much, and he was already certain that she did not remember him enough to connect him with her childhood or the terrifying experience therein. But he did care, just a little, about the woman with the pure soul that he had met years before, the woman that was as innocent as Rin and even shared some of her mannerisms, while being as wise as a Demon thrice her age. He just didn't think that she would ever be too happy if she learned of it, she was too much wrapped up in InuYasha for that.

(A/N: And there you go. I am trying to keep it moving slowly while still bringing in a plot point that developed later in the original story and led to a plot hole early on. So now it's all happy and good and fixed. Well, not yet, not quite, but it will be soon. I promise. Until next time folks!)


	6. With Time Part 2

(A/N: So, for me it has only been two days since I started this re-write project, and I am really proud of how well it is coming along. I am afraid that it is going to be a long story and that no one will want to keep reading it once it gets up there in word count, but I can't really help that and I know that if it is good enough then it will get read. Anyway, I am still working on taking apart the second chapter of the original and since that one was a little weird on me, its slower going than I would like. I don't own InuYasha. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 6—With Time: Part 2

Not long after breakfast a servant delivered several large scroll cases to Kagome, they were plain and a bit rough, but sturdy and looked to have survived for quite some time. She was informed that they were the notes taken by all of the healers, doctors, medicine men, and myriad others that had attempted to treat Rin. Lord Healer Souske had requested that she read over them as she was a 'fresh set of eyes' and that she stood a chance of catching something that he might have missed. She suspected that he just wanted to make sure that she knew what she was getting herself into, but accepted it anyway.

After that, Sesshomaru had set her up in the corner of his office that she had deemed a library, with a futon, several lanterns, easily accessible water, and her own ink and paper. He had then vanished once again, a rather impressively large stack of his own scrolls taken with him while he kept vigil over Rin. Only for a moment did Kagome ponder how terrible a burden it must be to still have to try to run a portion of the country when his child was sick. She chased the thought away and set herself to reading through Rin's history, if anything could help then she was willing to try it.

As she read, each different account became a new challenge as each person had their own distinct take on letters and many used a complicated form of short hand that required her to retrieve one of Sesshomaru's scrolls in order to translate. She compiled her own notes, mentioning each new symptom and marking down the timeline of the illness as it progressed. Right from the start, she noted, as soon as Sesshomaru had had a suspicion of illness, he had had Rin seen to, and that was over two years prior. He hadn't exactly told Kagome that it was that lasting of a condition but she had suspected. What she didn't understand was how Rin could have held out for so long against something that, according to the notes, seemed quite aggressive.

Before long, her hand was cramping from taking notes and her eyes were sore from reading the cramped, tiny writing left behind by several of the doctors, but she kept going. When she was done, she intended to copy the entire history again, into a modern spiral notebook, one that she used for classes, so that she could bring it back with her. She wanted the opinion of a fully skilled, modern oncologist so that she could have something more concrete to go on when treating Rin. Of course, she had to find the time to make it back to the well and somehow avoid InuYasha while doing so before she could get anyone's opinion.

"Ah, Priestess Kagome, it is pleasant to see you again. I trust that you are finding the notes to be of some use?" Lord Healer Souske said as he walked in, without knocking, she noted. His red eyes were brighter that morning and in the light she was able to see that he actually had scaly skin which was faintly green and patterned in some unidentifiable manner. It took her but a moment to set her work aside and rise to her feet to greet him, bowing and offering her seat to him. He smiled with the gentle grace of those long used to being fawned over, declining her offer while still appearing grateful for it.

"I do have something of a better idea of what I am dealing with now, yes. I intend to make a copy of my own notes so that I might bring them back with me and have a more educated mind than my own look over them. It is my honest opinion that we need all of the insight that we can get in this matter," she said, her nerves at speaking with such a revered man causing her to shift between her proper speech and that which she used with her friends. The old Snake Demon didn't seem to mind, he merely rubbed his chin in consideration for a moment before nodding his assent.

"That would be a wise decision. Many minds are often more productive than one or two. You observed the methods that we use for meal delivery this morning, I hear?" he said and Kagome felt as though she were being quizzed by one of her Professors at University.

"Yes, that is no longer how we do it, but it seems a sound method. I hope I was not too presumptive in my offer of the vitamins?" she said, feeling a slight blush creep up on her as she realized that he might have taken it as an insult. But he granted her a kind smile and motioned for her to follow him back into Rin's sickroom, her study of notes put on pause while she observed the Master. It relieved her to have it from him, Sesshomaru, though not known for kindness, might have wished to spare her the embarrassment had she in fact insulted the Lord Healer. She did not follow too closely, his robes trailed the ground slightly and she figured that it would be a grave insult indeed to trip such a man, even by accident.

"After this, I will leave you alone to observe. I know that I promised you three days, but at that time I had not entertained the notion of sending the scrolls to you. Perhaps it will be enough if you merely observe her when I am not around?" Lord Healer Souske said and Kagome nodded her understanding. There was no way that he could truly leave Rin uncared for long enough for Kagome to observe uninterrupted, especially when there was no guarantee that her powers would be able to detect anything.

"I believe that would do just fine," Kagome said carefully, still unsure of how to address the Demon that was simultaneously treating her both as a student and as an equal. She supposed that it was because neither of them would ever possess the other's specific skill set, and yet they had some abilities that overlapped. The Lord Healer gestured for her to sit and so she did, watching to methods that he employed to get a measure of Rin's health.

Much of what he did resembled modern triage. He pressed his ear to her chest to listen to her lungs, though a Demon could get a far more accurate idea of any obstructions or complications. Kagome assumed, as he gripped Rin's wrist at the pulse point and listened at her chest, that he was monitoring the efficiency of her heart. It was when he was satisfied on both counts that he began with methods that Kagome would likely only be able to imitate. His hands stretched out flat, he held them six inches above the center of Rin's chest and closed his eyes. Were it not for her abilities as a Miko, Kagome would have assumed that he was praying, or meditating, but she was able to see the energy that radiated from his palms as it sank into her chest.

A frown graced Souske's lips and his hands separated, one going toward Rin's stomach, the other toward her head. With his brow furrowed he opened his eyes and withdrew his hands, his gaze landing squarely on Kagome, something like anger existing behind those slim glasses that seemed to come and go on a whim.

"You were not to begin treating her until after you observed her," he said with a tightness that bespoke insult. Kagome held her head low, in the closest thing that she could approximate to a bow.

"Lord Healer, I swear to you that I have done nothing. Since I arrived her, I provided Lord Sesshomaru with a hairbrush, you with vitamins, and myself with the knowledge stored in the scrolls that you sent to me. I have not even chanced to touch her with my powers," Kagome said quickly, nervous though she had not done anything wrong. The old Snake Demon gave off quite the terrifying aura when he was angry and the fact that Sesshomaru was remaining silent somehow made her feel alone.

"The disease has regressed by three months at least. I know that such things do not happen overnight without outside intervention," Souske said firmly and Kagome straightened her back, her honor slighted and her word as a Priestess called into question, she could not help but rise to the offense.

"I have done nothing. You have my word. I swear it to you on my powers, on my station as a Miko, and on my duty as the protector of the Shikon Jewel. I would not violate the order of a Healer infinitely more skilled than myself, nor would I risk endangering an innocent child with brazen action," she said firmly, her eyes shining just a little more brightly and a faint white aura rising to surround her. Souske eyed her critically before looking back down at Rin and removing his glasses at the sight of the tiny girl's body radiating a similar aura.

(A/N: Sorry for the slight cliff hanger there. But if I keep going with this one then it will be insanely long, and it's already pretty big. Anyway, I hope you liked it and that you will leave me a review to let me know how I did. Until next time!)


	7. With Time Part 3

(A/N: Why hello again, and welcome back! I hope that you have been enjoying the story thus far, as I have been enjoying the re-writing process. I now truly believe that one must write something at least three times before it is actually satisfactory. Anyway, I still don't own InuYasha, and I can't tell you when I will get to the actual Kagome/Sesshomaru relationship as I am trying to avoid rushing it the way I did last time. But rest assured that it will still be here, as will all of the old pairings, just on a more realistic time scale. Enough ranting, I do too much of that. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 7—With Time: Part 3

"My sincerest apologies my Lady Priestess," Lord Healer Souske said softly, staring in awe as the aura that surrounded Rin began to dissipate. None of them had been expecting it and Sesshomaru seemed stunned to silence, his hands still clasped in his lap, scroll after scroll of important documents set aside. Kagome soon frowned as she realized that she could not sense any of Rin's powers. Typically, and by typically she meant that it had never failed her before, she was able to sense the presence of another Miko or Monk. Her powers granted her the ability to identify the auras of those around her, allowing her to determine if someone was a Demon or a Miko with barely a thought. But she had met Rin a number of times and had never been given any such indication.

"You couldn't know. There was no way that any of us could have known. Rin probably hasn't come into her abilities yet. This…this must explain how she has held out for so long," Kagome said, thinking that it somehow made sense. She had experienced it when she was young, or so she had been told, a mysterious power had come from inside of her to protect her when she needed it most. It had only made sense to her once she had fallen through the well and been able to see things and do things that normal people were not capable of.

"Will this save her?" Sesshomaru asked, watching Rin's eyelids begin to flutter as if she were going to wake up. Kagome hated to say something to discourage him but she knew that she couldn't afford to give him false hope.

"It isn't likely. Otherwise Mikos and Monks would never die. Perhaps somehow, it senses that there is help coming and so it is helping her to hang on," Kagome offered and Sesshomaru seemed to accept it, his jaw clenched and a hard nod coming from the once more silent Demon Lord.

Lord Healer Souske continued with his examination, stretching his hands out once more and returning to his apparent meditations. It was subtle, but Kagome thought that she could almost see the Demon's magic working on Rin's muscles. Obviously there wasn't likely to be anything resembling Physical Therapy in the Feudal Era, but that seemed to be the closest approximation to what she was seeing. Though she continued to wake up, Rin did not respond to anything around her and her aura did not make another appearance.

"I am hesitant to allow her to wake fully, but I think that after yesterday, it would be more of a kindness than a cruelty," Souske said, looking meaningfully in Sesshomaru's direction. He seemed torn, raking his fingers through his hair and calling Kagome's attention to the fact that he had at some point changed clothes. It wasn't that she was shocked that he had other outfits, but that they were so subtly different that she might have never noticed in the past.

"A few minutes, at least," Sesshomaru said at last and the Snake Demon nodded, settling back and watching with interest as Rin fought her way back to the waking world. Kagome watched as well, likening it to waking up from anesthesia and monitoring her expression for any sign of pain. After all, Rin had always seemed a strong, stoic child, and Sesshomaru's raising her might have reinforced that, so they had to look carefully.

But there was none, and after a long stretch of minutes, Rin actually opened her eyes, the brown orbs seeming confused and lost at first, until they landed on her father. She worked her thin arms out from under the heavy layers of fur and silk and reached out to Sesshomaru with only the barest wince. Sick as she was, her arms did not shake and though she looked frail, Kagome was confident that the 12 year old had more strength to her than they had realized. Sesshomaru leaned in and wrapped his arm around Rin's shoulders, allowing her arms to cling to him.

"I missed you Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered against his hair and snuggled against him the instant that he lifted her from the bed and into his lap. The disease had certainly won a few battles, she was small for her age, weight wise at least, she seemed to be doing well enough in the height department. The pale blue sleeping kimono that she wore was rumpled but it did not hide the protrusions of her spine or ribs.

"I missed you too Rin. I'm sorry that I wasn't here. But I found Lady Kagome for you," Sesshomaru said softly and pointed when Rin lifted her head. It was not difficult for Kagome to put a smile on her lips for the little girl, for her eyes had been bright and happy in that moment and it warmed all of their hearts.

"Thank you for coming to see me," she said politely and Kagome smiled even more brightly. Given the way that Rin was speaking, Kagome figured that in the time between their last meeting and the present, Sesshomaru had taken to teaching his daughter a proper speech pattern. It seemed that he had done quite a good job of it as well.

"You are welcome Rin. I was happy to come for a visit," Kagome's voice was once again its peppy old self as bedside manners began to filter into her head, calm but hopeful with adults, happy and open with children.

"Are you going to stay with us? Lord Sesshomaru, promise that you won't be too scary. I don't want Kagome to go away," Rin said, switching from talking to Kagome to berating her Father all in one go. As if he were used to such outbursts, Sesshomaru gave Rin a smile of his own.

"I promise not to be too scary if you promise to start calling me Father again," he said diplomatically though his eyes locked with Kagome's for a moment and seemed to plead with her for something that she almost couldn't understand. When she finally understood though, she gave him the briefest of nods and straightened her back.

"I will have you know, Miss Rin, that your Father has never scared me, not even when he was being scary. Besides, I'm here for you, he couldn't make me go away," Kagome assured, earning a small cheer from the little girl and a slightly startled look from Sesshomaru.

"See Father? It won't work so no being scary," Rin said in what could only be described as a smug tone of voice even as she began to sag with exhaustion against Sesshomaru's chest. It took the combined efforts of the Demon Lord and Lord Healer Souske to get Rin back beneath her covers, not because she was protesting, but because she was too tired to help them.

"I won't be scary Rin. I'm not scary to the people that I like," Sesshomaru insisted softly enough that Kagome was certain that it hadn't been meant for her ears. She fought back a blush and stifled the butterflies in her stomach, it was just Sesshomaru after all and she wasn't willing to examine the fact that InuYasha no longer had that effect on her.

Once Rin was settled in again, Souske rose and began mixing something at his station, the stone mortar and pestle held confidently in his hands. Judging by Rin's sour expression, and it was the fiercest pout Kagome had ever seen on the little girl, the medicine did not taste good. But she did not protest when it was given to her to drink.

Soon after that she had fallen asleep, her face the same sickly mask that it had been before she'd woken up. The Lord Healer made his exit and Kagome lingered, watching Rin sleep and holding tightly to the recipe that Souske had given her. It would be copied into her notes and accompany her back to her time so that she could have it looked at as well and perhaps find something better suited to Rin's treatment.

"You were never scared of me," Sesshomaru said softly and Kagome wasn't certain if it was something that she should respond to as it had not seemed to be a question. But he was watching her, eyes searching for something and so she felt compelled to tell him the truth.

"No, not really. It's hard to explain, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I know that you aren't evil and that you never have been. I went with you in the first place because I knew that I could trust you. I don't know how I knew, but I did," she revealed in a quiet voice, not trusting that Rin was fully asleep yet. Sesshomaru gave her a nod, accepting what she had said without responding.

With a bow, Kagome excused herself from the room, going to continue her work with the notes and to try to puzzle out the strange exchange that she had had with Sesshomaru. He was her enemy on occasion after all.

(A/N: I stand by saying that I'm not to the relationship yet. But I can't just have it happen all at once, now can I? Seriously though, I don't know how long I am going to spend hinting at it, but don't expect anything more than a hand hold for a few chapters at least, and I can't even be reasonably sure that you will get that.)


	8. With Time Part 4

(A/N: I am back again! Yay! Okay, not really, or at least not with so much enthusiasm. I am beyond tired, like loopy stupid crazy tired, but that is okay, because I have people that will stop me from running away and joining the circus. Anyway, I don't own InuYasha, but I do own Souske, seeing as how he is based off of a healer monk that I once played in Dungeons and Dragons. Not the Snake Demon part…okay, ranting, sorry. From here on, I start including more hints at affection, so hopefully that will tide you folks over. And I hope that you are prepared to stick around for quite some time, this is going to be a long re-write. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 8—With Time: Part 4

Kagome was tired, bone-weary, and about three seconds away from falling asleep where she sat, but she forced herself to stay awake and alert. She had been with Sesshomaru for four days, the past two of which she had spent sitting at Rin's bedside. With it being readily apparent that Rin possessed at least some of the abilities of a Miko, Lord Healer Souske had become insistent that Kagome reach out to her. And so she had.

Though her powers were frequently a point of frustration for her, they seemed to be willing to cooperate for the sake of Rin's health. So Kagome had reached out, not to treat or to purify, but to investigate. Having finished going through the notes of all of Rin's caregivers and treatment orders, she knew that Souske had not been lying to her; the disease was indeed in a less developed state than it had been before. It was still there and going strong, however, and could not be called remission.

From her analysis of the situation Kagome had learned a great deal about the disease and about the powers hiding within Rin. She wasn't sure which knowledge was more important. But the knowledge that she had gleaned from the disease had gone down into her notebook, which was now nearly half full with notes that she had taken. She blinked heavily and felt her body start to sag as she considered how best to get back to the well. The information needed to be put into the hands of a trained medical professional if they could not bring Rin herself. She supposed that she could ask Sesshomaru, though he was not in much of a mood to leave Rin alone and he still hadn't found guards to see to Kagome's safety either.

As her head slumped between her shoulders and her arms folded beneath her chest she felt her powers slipping out of her grasp. Unable to fight it, Kagome allowed her eyes to slide closed, her nose buried in one of the soft furs that covered Rin. She breathed in a scent that her mind could not quite place, a distant thing from childhood perhaps, and the sense of safety that surrounded her carried her off into dreaming.

Sesshomaru found Kagome an hour later when he returned from a meeting with his advisors. She had fallen asleep on the edge of Rin's pallet, her head pillowed on her arms, resting near Rin's out-stretched left hand. For two solid days he had not seen the Priestess move from Rin's side, and he knew that she was expending a great deal of energy to use her abilities. So he really wasn't surprised that she had fallen asleep, that she looked so peaceful, and dare he admit, beautiful, that was what stunned him. Part of him, the part that loved Rin and cared for Kagome, wanted the young woman to remain with him, to be a Mother to Rin. He knew that she could not see anything in him, not when, despite his betrayals, she still loved InuYasha, but he still wanted to hope.

As he set his work aside for later consideration, he couldn't help but watch Kagome, her soft breathing and lightly fluttering heart were comforting to him. He thought of a small girl, wrapped up in his arms and a desperate race through the woods that surrounded his brother's prison. In the back of his mind, he could see that round, innocent face and could not believe that such a child had grown into such a beautiful woman. More so than that, he could not believe that he had been blessed with the chance to meet that girl again, though she was now a formidable woman that did awful things to his heart.

He lightly brushed the hair from her face, smiling at the same feeling that had always tugged him toward her, the urge to protect. It was a satisfying desire, one that, as with Rin, he was entirely willing to fulfill. With some small effort, he was able to lift her into his arm, supporting her across the empty expanse of shoulder where InuYasha's blade had cost him an arm. It easy to carry her to the room that she had been given, one closer to his own than to Rin's so that she was not disturbed by the comings and goings of Rin's attendants. He had also placed her closer to himself in the hopes that his own scent would mask the fact that she was an Unclaimed female.

As he settled her into the simple pallet that she had been given, he caught sight of the Jewel shards contained in a small bottle that hung around her neck. They pulsed lightly with purity, hers and their own, shining at him as if to make themselves a temptation. He watched them curiously, knowing that he had agreed not to interfere with Kagome's search for the others and hoping against hope that they would be found soon. If nothing could be done for Rin then he was entirely willing to see the Jewel vanish so that she could be restored to good health.

It struck him then that if he wanted Kagome to stay around, that all he really needed to do, was to assist her in the quest that she was on for the Jewel shards. He smiled softly as he pulled a pelt of fur over her slender frame, covering her from the cold that always seemed to linger in his home. Together they could travel more efficiently than she had been able to when in the company of InuYasha and the others. They could set out in the mornings and be back in the evenings. It could work.

He had to stop himself from placing a kiss against her forehead, it was not his place to do something like that, and he did not want to give action to the emotions in his heart. He left her alone after that, his feet swiftly carrying him away from her as he warred with his inner nature. There was the part of him that longed to protect her, but there was a new part that was slowly emerging and it wanted for him to claim her. It told him that if she was good enough to be a mother to Rin then she was good enough to carry children of his blood, good enough to be his mate.

He was not appalled by the idea; he knew that, even though it went against nearly everything that he knew about himself, he liked the idea of having her as a mate. And so he had gotten himself away from her because he knew that it was not what she wanted and because he knew that it would have been a hasty decision. Affection could not be born of nothing, and though he cared for her, he was certain that he did not care for her enough to be her husband. Not yet anyway.

"Rin, child, your Father is confused," he said softly, once again using Kagome's hair brush to keep Rin's hair free of snarls. He imagined briefly as he brushed, that she was once again bright eyed and insisting on adventure that she had opinions to share with him and hopes and dreams that went beyond simply surviving. It was true that she was healthier than she had been, but it was still not enough for him to be satisfied. At least she was sleeping more soundly and Lord Healer Souske had not been forced to create a stronger mixture for his tonics.

Back in the bedroom that she had been given, Kagome snuggled under the blankets and breathed in deeply, smelling Sesshomaru and relaxing. Though she missed her friends and Shippo, the treatment she was receiving from Sesshomaru made her reluctant to return to her adventures in the wild. If for no other reason than the lack of InuYasha, she wanted to stay with Sesshomaru. He treated her with respect, he hadn't made her cry, or run back home and he hadn't insulted her usefulness.

She dreamed of being in a pair of strong arms, cradled close to a powerful chest, the wind whipping around her and a sense of desperation filling her. But she was not frightened; she knew that those arms were there to keep her safe. She knew that the person that was carrying her, who smelled so familiar, was there to protect her and so she did not cry. It seemed that they were endlessly running, but she knew that whatever was after them would not be able to get her so long as the person carrying her was there. For some reason, she called her protector my Lord, and glimpses of silver occasionally punctuated her view of the trees rushing by. She liked silver, she decided.

(A/N: So, this is a bit longer of a chapter re-write than last time, I have a few more major points to cover and then I will move onto Chapter 3, which I felt was originally one of the most unrealistic chapters in the story. Regardless of how the story progressed last time, this one is going to go more slowly, but here at least, was a bit of an inside look at the emotions as they develop. Anyway, thanks for reading and I will see you next time. Leave me a review if you can!)


	9. With Time Part 5

(A/N: Why, hello again everyone. Have I been gone long? Probably not, I can't seem to stay away from this thing, and the amount of work that I am putting into it is startling to me. It is a good thing that I don't have a job or this would be taking much longer. Anyway, I think, I _think_ that time might start moving a little more quickly after this, for those of you that feel like this is taking too much time to get going. There was just a lot of establishing stuff that needed to be done and more random stuff that is too complicated for me to think about right now. I don't own InuYasha by the way. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 9—With Time: Part 5

The pack that she had brought with her was still mostly full, so she dumped it out in Sesshomaru's bedroom and sorted through it. The garbage and her notes were the first things to be repacked. She brought her dirty clothing with as she would leave it with her mother because she did not need it when Sesshomaru was providing her with a day to day wardrobe. The homework that she had managed to complete was also packed; she had hopes of actually giving it to the Professors in person. She did not ask after her hair brush, if nothing else, it gave Sesshomaru something to do that could help Rin.

The Demon Lord in question stood in the doorway, his arm crossed over his chest, clasping his empty shoulder. He had kept her there for 9 days at that point and seemed reluctant to take her back, knowing that the well was in InuYasha's territory. But he also knew that Kagome needed to return to her own time in order to be of any more help to Rin. She was not willing to try to reach out with her abilities any more than she had when Rin's condition might not be stable. Lord Healer Souske was in agreement with that judgment and had kept right on with treating Rin as he had before.

"Do you typically need so much when you travel with InuYasha?" he asked curiously as she set aside a small collection of pill bottles to be left behind. He had no idea what the contents were, but he did know that most of them smelt herbal in nature, what Kagome had called holistic medicine. For a brief moment she paused and cocked her head at him, blue eyes shining with all of the curiosity that he had come to expect from Rin.

"Well, a lot of the snacks are for Shippo, I like to spoil him a little. I bring the shampoo and conditioner for Sango and me, same with the body wash so that we can have girl time in the springs. I also bring ramen so that all of us can have a quick dinner without InuYasha or Kirara having to catch it. There's hairspray to keep things in place, I don't really use it much anymore. Deodorant and perfume…" Kagome continued to rattle off the list of items that she brought with her and Sesshomaru's hearing took a happy vacation. She had quite the impressive collection, most of which was now cluttering up his bedroom, leaving her pack looking deflated.

"Shippo, he is the fox kit, the son of the Star of the East, an old friend of mine. You never told me how he came to be your charge," Sesshomaru said after a moment, his face drawn in contemplation as he thought of the wise old Fox Demon that he had called friend. Not for a moment had he considered telling Kagome that he had been named Shippo's guardian in the event of an emergency on the boy's first name day. He didn't want her to think that he was looking to take him away from her when she was doing such a good job of raising him on her own. Later on he would need the proper education that all Demon Lords were expected to have, but he was only 12 and rule was at least another 5 years away.

"We rescued him from the Thunder Brothers. They had killed his father…I do not wish to tell you what became of your friend, Lord Sesshomaru," Kagome said softly and Sesshomaru felt sadness twinge in his chest. The Lord of the East had always been a friend to the Lord of the West and it pained him that he had not been able to help his old friend.

"Of late, communications between the Lords has broken down. I am managing my own territory, but I do not know how the others are faring. For there to be no Warden in the East, it is concerning," Sesshomaru said, trying not to watch the Miko on the floor, her legs tucked up under her, head buried in her pack. He knew that the state of things with the other Lords, with the entire Demon world, was not good, he knew that something was wrong. What troubled him the most was that he had gained such information from a Miko from the future, and not any of the Thanes that he had put in place. He could not trust the people that he was working with, and he could not trust the other Lords.

"Kouga is watching over the East. He is pulling double duty," Kagome informed softly, considering the large travel blanket that she had brought with her before setting it aside to be left in the past. She glanced back at Sesshomaru, trying to discern just what it was that he was driving at by talking to her. They had been talking more and more as the days wore on and she was fairly certain that they had established something that resembled a friendship, but this was new. Sesshomaru was a proud Lord and discussing the matters of his work with a human seemed like something that ought to be beneath him.

"Ah, the Lord of the North, then at least there is someone that I can trust," Sesshomaru said though it was quiet and distant, seeming distracted. Kagome frowned at him before shaking her head and standing up to look at him more carefully.

"Do you normally talk to someone about this stuff?" she asked, blue eyes sharpening as they met his amber ones. He blinked once, looking down at her and cocking his head to the side, long hair spilling over his shoulder and one pointed ear giving a slight twitch. Kagome bit her cheeks to keep from finding that to be utterly adorable.

"I have advisors," he replied, still looking her over with a strange expression planted on his face. She straightened her back slightly, the material of her kimono shifted slightly, sending a fresh wave of lilac scent through her perception. The newest outfits had been treated with scented oils so that she left a pleasant smell in her wake, and unmated Demon men wouldn't be able to pick up on her true scent. It was Sesshomaru's newest method of protecting her from the people that he was surrounded by, and if she was guessing correctly, himself.

"Not people that give you status reports and monthly revenue figures. Do you have someone that you talk to about your concerns, anyone that you can trust enough to let them know when you are having doubts," she said carefully, folding her arms over her chest. Her fingers slid lightly over the silk of her kimono, picking out softly swirling designs of faintly different shades of red or in subtle trails of silver. It was important that she not look at him while he considered her words, she wasn't sure how she knew that, but she did know it to be true. The Demons of the Citadel did not speak openly against her because she was a respected figure in their culture, but she was certain that they believed her to be poisoning his mind.

"Rin. I spoke to Rin. She would stay up, long after Jaken had fallen asleep and she would talk to me. All she wanted was for me to talk back, and politics were the only thing that I could ever think about. So I told her, and she would say that everything would be okay," Sesshomaru said and Kagome heard him shrug. At last she looked up and saw that same look on his face, the one he wore when he watched over Rin. The softer side of Sesshomaru was something that she was slowly getting used to. It did not exist when other people were around, and she was fairly certain that she had never seen it directed at her. That did terrible things to her stomach and her heart, she almost blushed.

"You can still talk to her. Patients, when they are asleep for a long time…it helps for them to hear a familiar voice. She can't talk back, but in a way, she can hear you. They say that it is a healing experience for the patient and their loved ones," Kagome said, this time her eyes did not leave Sesshomaru's and his did not leave hers. She wanted and needed him to understand, for his own sake as much as Rin's. He wouldn't be any good to anyone if he slowly closed himself off from the world with stress and doubt.

"This is something that your teachers have imparted to you?" he said, seeming curious and Kagome paused, a flicker of pain stealing the light from her eyes for a brief moment. He noticed it, but waited patiently for her to respond.

"No, well, in a way yes. It is something that I learned when my father was dying. He was unconscious a lot, toward the end. But Mom, she wanted us to keep talking to him, she wanted him to be able to hear us. I know it made him smile, through the pain…and I know that it made a difference," she said softly, a tear slipped past her control and it was Sesshomaru that carefully reached out and wiped it away. He considered it for a long moment before nodding.

"Thank you, for this advice," he said and that made her smile. She did not comment on the affectionate gesture, instead returning to her packing and allowing him a moment to himself.

(A/N: Well folks, like me know what you thought of this chapter. I told you that I was going to start including more affection between them, and I am keeping my promise, little by little, I swear it. The next chapter will be the actual trip to Kagome's time, and I am not sure how long that will take, but since I am going more slowly I expect that it might be more than one. Anyway, leave me a review if you don't mind!)


	10. With Time Part 6

(A/N: Okay, I am sorry that I have gotten inconsistent with this, I have been sick, and well that is never fun, but it also kills creativity. I think that this should make up for all of that though, and yeah, there might be more pauses in the future. Sorry. I don't own InuYasha, I never will. So far the only thing that I own in this story is Lord Healer Souske, and really that isn't much of a big deal for anyone at all, this site is full of OC creations. Anyway, I just wanted to say hello again, I missed you all. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 10—With Time: Part 6

"Are you ready Priestess?" Sesshomaru asked once Kagome had organized all of the things that she wished to leave behind. He hadn't asked her to move them to the room that she had been given, but it seemed that she had enough propriety not to clutter up someone else's living space. Once more, she shouldered the gigantic pack that typically accompanied her on her forays into the past and turned to face him with a smile on her lips. Still clad in one of the kimonos that his tailor had provided to her, her long hair braided down her back, and blue eyes shining, it almost stole Sesshomaru's breath away. It was likely that he was always going to have trouble being around her.

"Yep, let's get going," Kagome said with a quick nod and took a couple bouncing steps in order to put herself beside Sesshomaru. He rolled his eyes with a slight grin before schooling his face into its usual stoic mask. Though he only had one arm, he offered it to her. She took in and allowed him to escort her through his suite of rooms, and into the Citadel proper. Servants were milling around, avoiding the paths of various important nobles as they went. Kagome and Sesshomaru cut a swath through all of them as there was a mad scramble to bow to their Lord.

Many of them had no clue who Kagome was, simply identifying her station by the kimono that she wore and offering her dips of their heads in respect. She would have blushed, but Sesshomaru had taught her fairly early on that blushing was a good way to call attention to her scent. Instead, she gripped onto the Demon Lord's bicep and kept her eyes down in as humble a manner as she could manage.

For Kagome there was not a free breath of air until she and Sesshomaru were outside of the gates and taking to the air. She pressed her forehead against Sesshomaru's shoulder and sighed, it was not really a part of who she was, to behave like she was superior to those around her. For the most part she had dedicated her life to serving the people, to helping those less fortunate, not being a respected Lady of the Court.

Sesshomaru, thankfully, understood that and had kept her out of the way as much as possible, both for her safety and the sake of her nerves. Of course, Kagome suspected that he was used to doing the same thing for Rin, the girl, though a bright and happy personality, seemed to be quite shy. She smiled slightly against Sesshomaru's shoulder, enjoying the familiar comforting scent of him.

As they flew, however, a twinge of anxiety began to claw at her heart. She had not considered whether or not they would find InuYasha, or what they would do if they did. She did not know if she could bring Sesshomaru through the well with her, or if she did, whether InuYasha would be able to follow as he always did. While she wished dearly to be able to snag Shippo and bring him with her, she would rather avoid InuYasha entirely. And, to be truthful, she was still processing the fact that Sesshomaru was supposed to be his default guardian. At least, after getting to know the Lord, she felt that she trusted him to be good to Shippo when the time came for him to assume guardianship.

"Priestess Kagome, InuYasha is in the nearby village. If you would, I would appreciate you shielding your scent and my own," Sesshomaru said, moving more slowly so that the wind did not sweep his voice away from her mortal ears too quickly. She straightened up and blinked at him in confusion before shaking off what looked to be a state of near sleep and touching the tips of her fingers together.

"I can't block all of it. It is likely, if the wind is right, that he will know that we have been through, though I hope that he will give up before we come back," she said, speaking quietly as her fingers began to move against one another in a complicated stepping motion, her eyebrows drawn down in concentration. Sesshomaru's skin crawled at the sensation of her magic wrapping about him, clinging to his flesh and clothing, sinking into his hair and giving him a chill as it secured itself. Once or twice he had felt the touch of her powers, but it had never been so benign and almost pleasant.

"If he confronts us on our return trip then so much the better," Kagome cocked her head and lifted and eyebrow at the statement and Sesshomaru granted her a slight smirk. "I have no desire to leave the young Lord Shippo in the company of such a barbarian as my brother," he said sincerely and Kagome wondered if he could read her mind. She figured that he could, after all, he was well versed in the use of all the other magic granted to a Demon Lord, why not the telepathy that they were known for. Normally she consciously shielded her mind; perhaps she was getting too comfortable around him.

"My apologies for not thinking to retrieve him sooner," she said at last, not wanting to say thank you because he knew that he would scoff at the words, it was his job to watch out for the kit after all. He considered her carefully for a moment, feeling her magic still wrapped around him like a second skin and noticing that her mind seemed to be in a more focused state. Perhaps she was finally beginning to come out of the depression that InuYasha had thrown her into.

"The fault is mine, of course. In my haste to bring you to Rin, I did not think to gather Shippo as well," Sesshomaru said dismissively, not quite an apology, but something more like it than Kagome was used to hearing. There had been small apologies here and there, for disturbing her slumber, or forgetting that she required food, but something like this was utterly foreign.

"Then we will simply bring him with us when we return to the Citadel and the matter will be settled," Kagome said with a smile, more used to the formal speech that Sesshomaru's lordly side required of her. He did not get offended when she spoke in a more common manner as long as they were not in a position to be overheard, and in the open such as they were, she knew that it was more likely. But the Demon Lord was smiling slightly and they were losing altitude as the well came into view, lonely and vine covered in the middle of the clearing.

Sesshomaru was a Demon man of exceptional skill, and knowledge. He was well aware of the fact that if they were to touch the ground, even Kagome's magic would not keep their scent concealed. So when they reached the well he made sure that they were directly over it before dismissing the cloud that had borne them and dropping directly into the open cavity in the ground. Kagome was shocked at the trust he displayed as he fell through the well with her, the usual pink light surrounding both of them and pulling them through the ages. Not once had she even explained the method of travel, but he had assumed that she would tell him if there were any dangers, and that sort of faith was astounding.

However, almost as soon as they landed on the other side, Sesshomaru's face twisted into a mask of agony and his arm abandoned her in order to clasp at his nose. The long pointed ears that she had come to adore twitched as if violated and his eyes reddened slightly. Recognizing it as a defensive sort of anger, Kagome grabbed him by the shoulders, being rude and forward and not respecting his personal space, but not entirely caring.

"Lord Sesshomaru, this is a different world, the scents and sounds of it…will you allow me to block them for you?" she said, trying to reach him as he seemed to gasp for air. Subconsciously she had always shielded Shippo's senses from her world, and InuYasha's were weak enough that he had gotten used to it. The great Demon Lord of the West looked at her and in that moment his eyes were pleading and even if she hadn't offered, she couldn't have said no.

The spell was simple; a very slight adjustment to the one that she was already using on him and the effect was instant. He took a deep steady breath and closed his eyes, rubbing his hand along the bridge of his nose. Pointedly, Kagome did not speak, her eyes already fixed on the opening of the well, where she was certain that she could hear someone moving around.

"Hey Kagome! Who is that?" sure enough it was Souta, shouting over the edge of the well, a huge smile on his face. He didn't admit it to Kagome's face, but she knew that he was growing into some seriously powerful Monk powers. After all, he was able to reliably sense Kagome's arrivals and was even recognizing people also in possession of such powers; sometimes he could even spot a well concealed Demon on the street. Kagome looked up and smiled at her little brother, preparing for the onslaught of questioning as she allowed Sesshomaru to leap out of the well with his arm around her middle.

(A/N: I am so, so, so sorry for the wait on this. I really have just been so out of it and just sick that I didn't know when I would even get around to it. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you thought.)


	11. With Time Part 7

(A/N: Okay, so I have been gone for forever now…and I am sorry. I have been going through some things lately with this weird twitch/spasm thing that I have. But things seem to be working out; I guess I am in a better place now that I have actually talked to a doctor. I get to see more doctors about stuff before long as well, so I hope to be staying on top of this, but I make no promises. There are no changes in the warnings for this fic or anything like that. I am still working with the former chapter 2 in all honesty, and I will be for quite some time I think. On with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 11: With Time: Part 7

"Hello Souta, you grew again," Kagome said and stepped out of Sesshomaru's grasp in order to hug her little brother tightly. He returned the hug with all of the protesting and grousing that one could expect of a 14 year old boy. As she stepped away from him, Kagome knew that she was right, he was physically bigger, but so too were his powers, and she could feel Sesshomaru's appraising gaze on the young man.

"Greetings Lord Monk, I am Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands," Sesshomaru said carefully, inclining his head in a gesture of respect and causing both of Souta's eyebrows to vanish beneath his hairline. He grabbed Kagome's hand and made her look him in the eyes, his were a softer blue than her own, but no less expressive.

"The Sesshomaru? That one? Like really?" he excitable brother's eyes were shining with astonishment and joy. Kagome had been telling him stories of the Demon Lord for a long time, showcasing both his fighting prowess and his honor. Not that she had been necessarily bad-mouthing InuYasha, but the stories of the half-Demon were nothing in comparison to the feats of a full blooded one. And she might have mentioned something resembling a crush on the Demon Lord to her mother, a mistake if she had ever made one.

"Yes Souta, that one. I really did bring him," Kagome said with a gentle smile, clutching her pack awkwardly as she tried to maneuver herself away from Souta's grabbing range. It didn't much matter though; his eyes were shining with awe as he stared up at Sesshomaru. The Demon Lord stood towering over Souta; the young man's head barely came to the middle of Sesshomaru's rib cage. Yet Souta didn't seem to be intimidated. The young man straightened up, clasping his arms behind his back and sinking slightly into a bow.

"Greetings Lord Sesshomaru. Welcome to Higurashi Shrine, it is an honor to be host to your Lordship," Souta said, his voice slipping into a more cultured refined tone, one that had been taught to him over the years. Both he had Kagome had learned the proper way to speak to Lords and Ladies and Kagome was infinitely glad that Souta had chosen to use it with Sesshomaru. Even if it had taken him a spare moment or two to freak out about it first, she was glad that he had gotten himself together.

Thankfully, Sesshomaru looked amused and followed wordlessly when Souta gestured the way toward the house that the Shrine Keepers lived in. Kagome blew out a puff of air, relief and determination both taking equal places in her mind. She had priorities, but she knew that things were going to have to be dealt with in order of convenience rather than importance, as was always the case.

"Mom, Gramps! Kagome is here!" Souta shouted as he pushed the door open. Kagome flinched, and was glad that she had used her powers to dull Sesshomaru's senses before they had encountered her brother, else the Demon Lord might have been in pain. She shot the Demon Lord a curious glance, and he gave her a slight nod, seeming to confirm that her thoughts were correct, or perhaps giving her something as close to a thank you as he was capable of.

"Oh, Kagome! It has been so long," their mother said and gave Kagome a welcoming hug. Kagome rolled her eyes slightly, yes it had been a long time, but there really was no need for the dramatics every time that she came back home. A slight frown creased her lips as she realized that her depression had flared up again and it was affecting her interactions with her family. Sesshomaru was quickly welcomed as well and Kagome took a moment to step aside and collect herself. Part of her knew that she should go to a doctor and ask to be placed on a medication that would help her recover, but she was too proud of her ability to sort through her own issues.

"Mom, you know that I always come back. It just took a bit longer this time because I was with Sesshomaru. His daughter Rin is very sick, and I have been trying to help," Kagome explained gently, trying to manage her feelings as best she could. The older woman smiled sympathetically and held out one hand for Kagome's bag while rubbing her other shoulder with the other.

"My Kagome always helping everyone she meets. What can we do to help?" her mother asked and Kagome brightened immensely, her smile quickly becoming genuine. They were her family; they loved her and cared for other people just as much as she did. The people that she had come home to did not greet her with reminders of how long it had been because they were impatient to have her at their disposal once more, but because they missed her and loved her. Her heart throbbed strangely and for a second she almost cried, how could she think of her family in any way similar to the way she thought of InuYasha? Never once had they made her feel the way that he did.

"I need to see some of my professors, drop off my homework and present some case notes to them. We can't currently transport her so there isn't much hope of getting her here for treatment. If I can bring some drugs back with me for treatment, then maybe we can make something happen. But for right now I just need to get those notes into the right hands. People that can help more than I can," Kagome said and slipped the notebook out of her bag. Her mother smiled and gave a quick nod, vanishing down the hall with the bag in hand.

"Dinner is cooking now, you came back kind of late," Souta said, motioning for them to move into the living room where Gramps was reclining and watching television. Kagome waited for the inevitable attempt at purification but it never came. Instead Gramps lifted his gaze to Sesshomaru and inclined his head carefully, shifting so that he could stand with ease.

"I wondered when I would see you," he said, studying Sesshomaru critically and then making a subtle appraisal of Kagome's appearance. An arched eyebrow was the only response that Sesshomaru gave while Kagome felt her mind reel in confusion. A Demon, a Demon Lord no less, was standing in their living room and her Grandfather was greeting him with the civility that he deserved. When InuYasha had shown up the first time sutras had been involved. The same reaction had not been given when it was Shippo; however, the Fox kit had been treated as an innocent, normal child. Kagome cocked her head as she realized that InuYasha was the only actual Demon that she had ever seen Gramps throw a sutra at.

"You were forewarned of my coming?" Sesshomaru asked, taking the seat that was offered to him as Souta buzzed out of the room, presumably to check on dinner. The room was quiet for a long moment as the older man carefully removed a book from a nearby end table. It was a book that Kagome had seen many times, but never been allowed to touch, it was ancient, a history of their family written over the course of 500 years.

The book had sat in that drawer as a silent temptation to Kagome for years, especially after she had fallen down the well. But it was one of Gramps firmest rules that neither she nor Souta touch the book. She had vague memories of childhood, of an Aunt and Uncle that always visited. Uncle Kohaku, she recalled, she hadn't seen since Souta was born, odd that now she thought about it, he looked like her Sango's Kohaku. Perhaps he was descended from Kohaku? So then, they must have hope that the Kohaku in the past would make it through the control of Naraku.

"You could say that. This book has been in the family for years. Yet the paper is modern. It was a gift given to the first of the Shrine Keepers by a Priestess from the future. Kagome has already given this book to Sango to write the history of her family. You are in it Lord Sesshomaru," Gramps said and Sesshomaru's expression changed once more, confusion flickering across his features.

"I am not aware of any linkage between our lines, Honorable Grandfather," Sesshomaru said carefully, his eyes darting to Kagome for some sort of support in the situation. The only response that she had was a slight shrug, how could she know, she had never been allowed to touch the book, except perhaps when she had given one exactly like it to Sango a year or two before.

(A/N: Sorry for the cliffhanger, but if this goes any longer it is going to get out of hand. I hope that you all like it and that it wasn't too much of a wait for all of you. See you soon I hope. Review to let me know.)


	12. With Time Part 8

(A/N: Not gone for nearly that long this time. I count this as a victory. Two updates in a month is a big thing for my brain these days. I wonder, do any of my lovely readers have neurologists? If so, can you tell me what to expect from an appointment? Alright, personal stuff out of the way, I want to say that I am not changing the warnings for this story in the least. I am currently conflicted as well, as to whether to include the original second part of the story in this re-write or if I should do them separately. So, weigh in on that if you would. I don't own InuYasha, now, on with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 12: With Time: Part 8

"Yeah, what do you mean Grandpa?" Kagome asked softly, curious and concerned about what information was about to be dropped on them. She knew that it couldn't be terribly relevant; otherwise he wouldn't risk the progression of the timeline to deliver it. Still, after a lifetime of being banned from the book, she was certain that nothing at all should be read with her in the room.

"It is a small, but important link of which I speak. And I would not say anything, but for the fact that it is written in this book that I was the one to pass the information on to you. A strange thing time travel is, it makes for such interesting loops. The link is this shrine. You, your Lordship, are the one that granted these lands to us. It is you that gave us the well to watch over and the tree to protect us," Gramps said and Sesshomaru blinked, head tilting to the side in momentary confusion. He shook his head slightly, righting himself and clearing his throat, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"I am sorry honorable Grandfather, but I do not believe that to be a possibility. You see, the land that this shrine occupies belongs to the Lords of the Central Lands, the Bear Demon Tribe. They have guarded it well and served quite faithfully for many centuries," Sesshomaru said, though his thoughts drifted unbidden to a small frightened girl, and his own near-death experience. Gramps smiled and carefully replaced the book in its hiding place, once more out of sight and out of mind, the temptation vanishing in an instant.

"Ah, but it does not say how such a determination was made; only that I should tell you about it, and that you enable its happening. As I said, time travel is interesting, and all will come together in time," the older man said a smile on his lips. Kagome felt the urge to sigh dramatically, her Grandfather was always telling stories and dropping cryptic hints, really it was quite entertaining. Once, before the well, she had been hard pressed to care about such stories and histories, but with the Feudal Era being such a major part of her life, she was determined to listen well to what he said.

The Demon Lord took the offered seat at last, his eyes trailing around the room, intrigued by what the future held. The television was an interesting piece; it seemed to be a window of some sort, perhaps enchanted in some manner to show the goings on of another world. Whatever magic was on it, he could not determine, though with his senses limited by the soothing blanket of Kagome's magic, he wasn't certain that he would be able to make such observations. Yet he could not consider asking her to remove the spell that shielded him, the world in which she existed was full of painful sensations, burning at his nose and ears, stinging his eyes. The very air had coated his tongue with a miasma that he couldn't quite compare to anything other than sulfur.

He chanced a look at Kagome, she seemed to have melted into one of the furnishings, her eyes closed, legs tucked up in a similar manner to how she seated herself on his futons. The kimono that his people had made for her was a truly fitting garment and he was unspeakably proud to see it on her. Within him still lingered the desire to see her with his crest upon her brow, to know her magic would bind with his blood and make her into an immortal. He longed to keep her ever at his side, and yet the feeling made him wary, confusing the very nature of who he was and always had been.

Besides, he reasoned, her heart had been given to InuYasha several years before; there wasn't much chance for him to try to win her away. Some small part of him though, was determined to try. He was almost sure that his heart had picked her, and that if she stayed in his life, he would come to love her in all the ways that he should love his Betrothed and eventually his Wife.

"Guys! Dinner!" Souta called from the kitchen and Kagome popped out of the trance that she had sunk into, drawing her eyes away from the television. Sesshomaru could see that she still held onto the small notebook, top full of notes taken on Rin. It was his sincerest hope that the Healers of her time, Doctors and Surgeons as they had been designated, and something called an Oncologist, would have knowledge that could save Rin.

Sesshomaru rose to his feet, politely offering his hand to Kagome. A small smile graced her lips and she took the offered hand, each of them quietly savoring the warmth of the other as he tugged her to her feet. They had gotten quite good at the casual sharing of touches, light contacts that Kagome knew that she couldn't share with InuYasha. With Sesshomaru's eyes smiling, Kagome didn't know how she could still care about InuYasha when he had devoted himself to Kikyo completely. Her heart soared with the hope that the kind, caring Sesshomaru that she had come to know, and love if she allowed herself to think it, would someday care for her as well.

They parted silently, each shaking off the brief trance that had consumed them. Kagome stepped back, blushing lightly and motioning for Sesshomaru to follow her as she trailed in her Grandfather's steps. She caught a glimpse of a secretive smile on Gramps's lips and wondered just what he was thinking about. Perhaps there was something in the book about her? Something more about Sesshomaru as well? Obviously he wasn't going to tell them everything, but oh how the curiosity burned at her thoughts. Still, it would take an act of the Gods for her to break her Grandfather's trust and peek into the book.

"Can you stay the night Kagome? We can go and see your Professors in the morning. I left messages for them so that they know to expect you," Kagome's mother said as they took their seats at the table. The young Priestess smiled brilliantly, thinking about how wonderful and compassionate her Mother was, and how much she had missed home. There was absolutely no reason, she realized, for her to dread coming home the way that she did, except that coming home always meant going back. Going back invariably meant InuYasha being angry and unpleasant, and she hated how that tainted everything. But having Sesshomaru with her, knowing that she didn't have to stay with InuYasha, and the fact that they were going to pick Shippo up, were all she needed to stay happy.

"Of course, it has been too long since I slept in my own bed," Kagome replied, her thoughts drifting slightly to the possibility of a long soak in a hot bath. It took her only a moment to realize though, that they had no place for Sesshomaru to sleep. She hardly thought it befitting of a Lord to wind up sleeping on the Living Room couch like a passed out drunk.

(A/N: I know that this chapter wasn't overly long, but I think that I need to keep them just a bit short in order to keep my brain on the task of getting this thing worked on. Knowing that there is a huge block of writing to be done makes my whole thought process derail like it used to when writing an essay in High School. Also, I genuinely would like votes as to whether I should include the second story in this re-write or keep them separate. Thanks for reading and drop me a review to let me know!)


	13. With Time Part 9

(A/N: Okay, so I wasn't gone too long this time…but still longer than I wanted to be, and I am sorry for that. I got icky sick, and I don't even know if I could have figured out where I wanted this to go because I couldn't read my notes. So, here I am, taking care of this at last. I hope that you guys don't think this is going too slowly. I don't want that to be the case, but at the same time, I need to say everything that I wanted to say. Anyway, on with the show!)

What a Demon Lord does for Love

Chapter 2—Changes Through Time

Re-written as:

A Demon Lord and his Love

Chapter 13—With Time: Part 9

As it turned out, Kagome didn't have to worry about where Sesshomaru was going to sleep. Her mother had recently gotten a new bed, and had stored the old one in Kagome's bedroom on the off chance that InuYasha or Shippo came back with her from the Feudal Era. It was no problem for Kagome to share her room with the Demon Lord that had taken her as a Ward. After all, they had lots of practice with being around one another after having taken care of Rin together for what felt like an age. Kagome figured that everything felt like forever when a child was sick.

"You seem concerned Priestess," Sesshomaru offered, reclining on the bed with his bare feet resting in a patch of moonlight. His pale skin had always seemed to glow in the light, and she was slightly amused to see that it held true, even for his feet, which, she noted, were surprisingly delicate. After a moment Kagome managed to shake herself out of the contented haze that one of her mother's dinners had always put her in after a long trip away.

"Not concerned…not really. But, how often does one get to say that they entertained a Demon Lord for dinner? Souta is going to be losing his mind for weeks after this, you know. I just wish that I was going to be here so that he could regale me with more and more ridiculous stories about how wonderful you are," she said, admitting to herself that she was slightly self-conscious about Sesshomaru's opinion of her. What was he going to think of her home and her family? After all, he was a Lord, and her family did live fairly simply. They were not poor, but her home at the shrine, was definitely not the Citadel in which Sesshomaru dwelt.

"You are implying that I am not in fact wonderful? That perhaps the concept of my being wonderful is ridiculous?" Sesshomaru asked, skillfully dancing around her words in such a way that he made her smile. Rarely were they able to joke with one another, as both were required to do everything in their power to protect their positions. Sesshomaru as a cardinal Lord was not able to allow himself affection or humor with anyone other than Rin. Kagome, as a Priestess chosen by such a Lord, was required to maintain a quiet decorum and sense of purity, leaving her unable to giggle like mad, snort into her ramen, or even consider the feelings that Sesshomaru brought out in her. But in the world that she had been born to, they were both free of those constraints.

"You know that I don't mean it like that at all. You are wonderful. But, even with how wonderful you really are, Souta could inflate you to unimaginable proportions. By the third time I brought InuYasha home, he was supposedly my boyfriend. You, being that much cooler, well I would be surprised if he wasn't telling people we were engaged by the end of next week. He's 14, and he has a wild imagination. Soon his powers will be as strong as my own, and he will be able to weave those tales all the better," Kagome said, demonstrating her thoughts with a gentle motion of her hands. A silver and pink mist swirled about her fingers, turning slowly into a shining moon and a silently howling Dog Demon. Sesshomaru stared at her slightly, noting the soft increase in her flush when she mentioned engagement, and hoping, maybe just a little too much. But she had called him wonderful.

"These stories that you are able to paint on the wind, could you tell one to Rin when next she wakes?" Sesshomaru asked, allowing her a small grace in ignoring the contents of the conversation that they could have had. After all, he certainly felt like leaning in to kiss her, and he was certain that without her magic to shield it, her scent would drive him to do exactly that.

Kagome blinked, blushing more brightly as she did so. The question that Sesshomaru had asked was not so surprising perhaps, but every time that he asked her for something instead of demanding it, her stomach grew happily warm and her heart fluttered with joy. Perhaps she had gotten too used to InuYasha's uncaring nature, but Sesshomaru was almost unfailingly polite.

"Of course I could. If you think that she would enjoy them?" Kagome said, spinning a miniature field of flowers into her palm before wafting it away. She had lots of practice in telling Shippo stories; it had helped her to practice manipulating her aura, as the pictures were nothing but that. Some believed it was a sign of great skill in a Priestess, but she had been assured that it was the most rudimentary of practice methods. Not that she was bothered by the concept.

"I do indeed. When she was well, she greatly enjoyed Kabuki Theater," Sesshomaru spread the fingers of his one hand and clicked his thumb and forefinger. A hand carved and painted mask appeared in his palm. It was designed to look like his demon form's face and had been given an exaggerated expression of ferociousness. Kagome smiled as he held it up to his face, before spinning it on one finger and transforming the expression into one as docile as a puppy's.

"I always did love the kabuki plays at the Spring Festival," Kagome said, thinking of how fun it must have been for little Rin. She could see the girl pouting her way onto Sesshomaru's shoulders for a better view, Sesshomaru's mask strapped to the side of his head. In her imagination Rin wore a tiny fox mask on the side of her head, ready to be drawn over her face to hide her eyes from the scary parts.

"Sleep now Priestess. We are up early to attend to the mission we have set ourselves on," Sesshomaru advised, banishing the mask with another snap of his fingers. He smiled graciously at her when she nodded and excused herself to change into her night attire.

As soon as she was gone he slid down on the bed he had been provided with, pressing his face into a pillow that was slightly rougher than he was used to and sighing deeply. He was going to be sorely tempted by her simply due to her proximity, and on top of that, seeing Kagome happy was intoxicating. In his thoughts he rebelled at the idea that being in his own time meant not being able to put that silly smile on her lips or to decorate her cheeks so frequently with that lovely blush. Surely as Lord of the West, he ought to be able to change such things, trivial as they seemed. Why should it matter that he had a well-respected and favored companion in a Priestess when it was her birthright to stand beside him as a trusted advisor?

He rebelled against the expectation that she would be required to be stoic and self-assured at all times lest she lose face in their halls. He couldn't even allow her to travel through the Citadel alone, unmated as she was, and he wished for that to change. Much worse, he wished to be the one that changed it for her.

Kagome silently slipped back into her room, clad in shorts and a tank top. It was so woefully inappropriate that he wanted to cover her with his own skin just to protect her modesty. Instead he smiled and returned her wish for a good night. He felt his desire for her burning almost painfully in the back of his mind, but quashed it and rolled over, shutting his eyes tightly.

Across the room Kagome burrowed under her blankets and cursed the burning in her own body. She had not given any consideration to how Sesshomaru would react to her attire, and she was embarrassed that she had basically shown him everything. It stung even more, that she was unable to discern whether his expression had been of disgust or desire, when she knew so well which one she hoped it to be.

That night it took Kagome a small eternity to fall asleep.

(A/N: I hope that you liked it. Yes, I am trying to ramp up the sexual tension between these two, because the relationship does grow somewhat quickly. It just wasn't meant to happen as quickly as I originally wrote it all those years ago. Anyway, I hope that you enjoyed it, and I really hope that you will leave me a review. Even if it is just mindless cheering for me to get my but in gear and get the next chapter up, I would appreciate it all the same.)


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